Bobotie

Bobotie

South Africa's national dish: curried minced beef with dried fruit and almonds, gently spiced with Cape Malay influences, baked under a savoury custard and traditionally served with yellow rice, chutney and banana.

Prep

25 min

Cook

45 min

Total

70 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •30 g (2 Tbsp) butter
• •1 large onion, finely chopped
• •2 cloves garlic, crushed
• •2 slices white bread, crusts removed
• •250 ml (1 cup) full-cream milk
• •750 g (1.65 lb) minced beef, lamb or a 50/50 beef-and-lamb mix is also traditional
• •15 ml (1 Tbsp) mild curry powder, use a hot Madras-style blend if you prefer more heat
• •5 ml (1 tsp) turmeric
• •5 ml (1 tsp) ground coriander
• •2.5 ml (½ tsp) ground cumin
• •1 whole bay leaf
• •5 ml (1 tsp) salt, adjust to taste
• •2 ml (¼ tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
• •30 ml (2 Tbsp) smooth apricot jam, traditional for sweet-savoury balance
• •20 ml (4 tsp) Worcestershire sauce
• •15 ml (1 Tbsp) white vinegar, or lemon juice
• •90 g (⅔ cup) raisins or sultanas, dried fruit; soaked in hot water 10 min, drained
• •50 g (½ cup) flaked almonds, lightly toasted; optional but traditional
• •2 large eggs, lightly beaten (for the filling); cook to 160°F / 71°C internally
• •3 large eggs, for the custard topping
• •375 ml (1½ cups) full-cream milk, for the custard topping
• •2 ml (¼ tsp) salt, for the custard
• •5 ml (1 tsp) turmeric, for the custard, optional but gives the classic golden colour
• •4 whole bay leaves, for topping the custard
• •6 servings yellow rice, chutney and sliced banana, to serve

Steps

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Butter a 22 x 30 cm (9 x 13 in) baking dish.
2. 2 Soak the bread in the 250 ml milk in a shallow bowl until saturated, then mash to a rough paste.
3. 3 Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Sweat the onion 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4. 4 Add the curry powder, turmeric, coriander, cumin and bay leaf. Stir for 30–60 seconds until fragrant - this blooms the spices in the fat.
5. 5 Crumble in the minced beef and cook, breaking it up, until no pink remains, about 8–10 minutes.
6. 6 Tip the soaked bread into the pan along with any remaining milk, then stir in the salt, pepper, apricot jam, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, drained raisins, toasted almonds, and the 2 beaten eggs.
7. 7 Mix thoroughly, taste, and adjust salt or jam for a clear sweet-savoury balance. Spoon into the prepared dish and level the surface.
8. 8 In a jug, whisk the 3 eggs with the 375 ml milk, salt and turmeric (if using). Pour gently over the meat in the dish - the layer should be about 5 mm deep.
9. 9 Push the 4 bay leaves into the custard so they sit on top, then bake on the middle shelf for 35–45 minutes.
10. 10 The bobotie is safely cooked when the custard is set, lightly puffed and just firm to the touch, and the centre reaches 160°F / 71°C on an instant-read thermometer (eggs and beef must both clear this internal temperature). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
11. 11 Rest for 10 minutes before serving - the custard will finish setting and slice cleanly. Serve hot with yellow rice, a sharp chutney (Mrs Ball's or similar) and sliced banana.
12. 12 Storage note: Cool within 2 hours, then refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat covered at 160°C / 325°F until piping hot (internal temp 74°C / 165°F). Not suitable for raw or lightly cured components, so no special parasite-freezing step is required.